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Rosacea
- before & after
Sun damage and diseases
such as Rosacea can cause excessive redness
of the facial skin, usually in the cheekbones
and nose area. Damaged skin and genetics can
cause "spider veins" similar to
those found in the legs. Facial telangectasias
are usually smaller than leg veins and are
most effectively treated with light based
devices (Fotofacials) that target the hemoglobin
in the blood. Absorption of the light energy
by the hemoglobin destroys the blood vessel
which is then quickly absorbed by the body.
Some success is possible with over-the-counter
topical treatments but the results, if any,
are highly variable and unpredictable. Medical
grade topical creams and treatments in addition
to light based therapies have proven to give
the best results
Static wrinkles. If the
skin is creased by prolonged muscle activity
the wrinkles that form become permanent. Sleeping
on the face night-after-night in the same
position can also create permanent "sleep
wrinkles". These static wrinkles stay
even when the muscles are relaxed as in deep
sleep and Botox doesn't do much here. The
only way to know if the wrinkles are responsive
to Botox is to try it and see if the wrinkles
go away.
If the wrinkles do not respond
to Botox, other treatments are available to
help correct or minimize them. The most natural
way to eliminate these wrinkles is to grow
new dermis or deep skin tissue under the wrinkle.
Forming new collagen under the wrinkle fills
the wrinkle from below, flattening it and
improving its appearance. Certain lasers heat
the deep skin layers in a way that stimulates
this growth without burning or scarring. The
Cooltouch II laser stimulates new collagen
growth and "pushes up" the wrinkled
skin from below. This technique usually requires
three treatments spaced a few weeks apart.
For deeper wrinkles and skin creases a combination
of technologies may work best.
Wrinkles that are not treatable
with Botox can still be treated with filler
injections of collagen or the semi-permanent
fillers, Radiance or Silikon. Micro-droplets
of these fillers are injected along the wrinkle
and "puff up" the skin from below,
"filling in" wrinkles and furrows.
Collagen materials were
the first popular fillers in the US and were
made from bovine (cow) collagen. Allergies
were a problem and the time period from testing
for cow collagen allergies to treatment could
be two months. The newest collagen is of human
origin (not from people) and doesn't require
skin testing since there are no allergies
to worry about. This material comes in several
forms depending on the area being treated.
It is commonly used to treat facial wrinkles
and lips and lasts from three to six months.
Collagen fillers can also be very helpful
in "trying out" the correction for
individual wrinkles or furrows before semi-
permanent filler injections are used.
Radiance and Silikon 1000
are the only two fillers currently approved
for use in the US. Both of these semi-permanent
fillers are made up of inert sugars and last
up to seven years. This length of time is
ideal since we can continue to treat these
wrinkles as they change over time rather than
using truly permanent fillers that can’t be
altered. Surface uses Radiance exclusively
due to its safety and clinical trial results.)
Wrinkles respond best to
a combination of surface and deep skin treatments.
Botox, filler injections, microdermabrasion,
collagen lasers, chemical peels, Thermage,
and FotoFacials all work together effectively.
Consulting a specialist will help you decide
upon the best treatment regimen for your individual
needs.
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